Okay not having posted in a while I thought I would kick off with a mini-article I wrote as part of some research I have been carrying out.

It is a recognized truth, solar panels are a more effective solution for energy. We saw solar panels unveiled in the 1970s and during that time they were too expensive to get. Having said that, things have developed a great deal since that time and today are a viable option for home owners as well as businesses. The way in which solar panels operate, they use the energy directly from the sunlight and transform it directly into electrical energy for your residence, business office and more. Solar energy is much more beneficial to our environment than the conventional forms of energy utilized to make electrical power, and because of this are a preferred solution due to the rising concern in regards to the effects of fuel on the world’s eco system.

Whatever the reason for choosing to set up a solar panel system in the house, there isn’t any doubt they are only going to raise in acceptance as the decade goes by. Listed here are some of the most typical and the most unusual uses regarding solar power panels.

Residential Use
Residential solar panels are utilized whenever people wish to use a solar panel system to get electrical power within their residence. Home solar power panels typically come with the normal look most people might be expecting from solar panels: a number of rectangle-shaped panels linked together and laid out on the top of a residence. A few home solar panel systems tend to be wider than they’re long, while some will be more rectangular in appearance. Solar panel providers usually provide their customers a variety of solutions to put together solar power panels, determined by their roof form and specific requirements. The design of home solar panels all depends on the requirements of the house that is getting powered plus the available place meant for installing solar panels.

Industrial Use of Solar Power
Apart from private use, commercial building use is the 2nd most typical use of solar power panels. Just like home use, commercial building usage of solar panels could help reduce the amount of electrical power which needs to be generated by way of non-solar techniques. The industrial usage of solar panels runs from common use within houses, just like homes, to complete organizations, museums or perhaps other complexes that are run solely from solar energy. Several buildings are in favor for more eco-friendly energy sources and frequently hold shows and exhibits to showcase the advantages of solar power.

There are also many special, uncommon techniques people are utilizing solar panel installations. For instance, an original artwork design which incorporates a solar panel array in a hot-spot of the local town. Setting a solar panel into a big structure such as this will provide not just leisure but electric power that would normally go to waste. Solar PV installations utilized like this are a fascinating look at the potential for solar power in the future: Could it be possible to heat up the entire town by using a solar power installation in the desert?

It seems ‘green’ is the new it-word in the world as today someone was telling me about eco-hosting. This is basically website server hosting based off renewable energy.

I think its a great idea when done as part of a wider scheme. For example, Google have been publicised in the past for their use of carbon-neutral datacentres. Google run and maintain over 3,000 datacenters around the world, each with around 45,000 servers in each. Google pride themselves on reducing energy consumption in their data centers as well as promoting renewable energy throughout the world through their projects - the most recent one fighting emissions from space.

If you are interested in how Google are currently running their datacenters and want to know more about their carbon offsetting and green credentials then check out their page at http://www.google.com/green/the-big-picture.html

It seems a lot of companies can learn from this dedication to renewable energy, it saves them money as well as saving the environment.

Along with this I have heard about eco-hosting (check out Netweaver), which seems to reflect a similar structure to Google. However I have also heard about ethical web-design companies. How is a web-design company ethical? Do they drink fair trade coffee?

The search for renewable energy has been one of the important issues that most developed countries focus their attention to. In 2010, United States, China, Germany, and Spain got the highest production of wind energy from the rest of the world. As of 2011, the solar thermal power industry continues to grow.

On the other hand, Europe is said to be falling behind in renewable energy investments. Compared to China – the world’s green energy powerhouse, Europe’s green investment dropped by one-fifth to 35 Billion Dollars. Europe’s climate chief – Connie Hedegaard, has already called for a higher proportion of the country’s budget (20% of the total EU budget) to be spent on climate-related expenses. With this, Europe may stand a place in the race for renewable energy resources.

Connie Hedegaard says “The significant increase reflects that it is a key political priority for Europe to tackle climate change by transforming Europe into a clean, competitive low-carbon economy. But it also marks a paradigm shift”.

Renewable Energy production such as solar power, geothermal power and wind power, has surpassed the energy produced by nuclear power stations according to the Monthly Energy Review for June 2011.

In the first months of 2011, renewable energy accounted for over 11% of US energy production, at nearly 2.5 quadrillion BTUs of energy.
In comparison, during the same time period, nuclear energy production accounted for around 5.6% of US energy production.

In comparison to 2010 the nuclear energy figures have risen slightly but in the large have remained fairly consistent. On the other side, the renewable energy production has increased rapidly over the past years, with a 15% increase compared to 2010 and a 25% increase when compared to 2009.

This energy production increase can be broken down and shows the growth of renewable energy. For example wind energy production has increased by over 40%, hydrothermal energy production has increased by nearly 30%, and the whopper, solar power has increased by over 100%!

This shows great growth for solar power in the US. Hopefully we can start to see similar improvements posted in the UK, there are definitely more people buying solar panels in Somerset, thats for sure!

Environmental issues are becoming a growing concern for many people around the world, as well as for their governments. The fossil fuels which are currently used to generate power are predicted to run out completely within the next one hundred to one hundred and fifty years.

Advances in technology have seen an increased development into alternative energy sources such as wind power, water power and solar power. This has come to a point where these technologies are developed to a stage where consumers can install these into their own properties.

Types Of Solar Panels

Once somebody has taken the decision to utilise the potential of solar power they will have to choose which type of solar panels they would like to have installed. Currently there are two main types of solar panel available to the consumer, and there are advantages and disadvantages to each.

If you are looking for a strictly electrical based energy supply then the most common solution will be to utilise photovoltaic solar panels. These solar panels can be installed in a range of applications and not all require direct sunlight, allowing energy to be produced at all times of the year.

Alternatively there is the solar thermal system which is used to provide solar water heating. This is an environmentally friendly way to obtain hot water for a household and can even be used to heat swimming pools. Solar Thermal systems will help you reduce your carbon footprint and your heating bills, but is not a solution to sourcing alternative electrical energy.

The Advantages Of Solar Panels

Most people who have solar panels installed on their property do so due to their environmental concerns. There is no doubt that using renewable energy sources is extremely beneficial in the campaign against pollution and global warming.

Solar energy, on the other hand, is limitless and non-polluting. It is clean energy, and for everybody who utilises solar technology in their own homes the demand on the national grid will be reduced. Installing solar panels is an easy yet very effective way to take personal responsibility for environmental issues.

Solar panels, once installed, can provide a lifetime of clean, renewable energy using the free resource of the sun’s rays. The panels themselves require very little maintenance, make no noise when generating electricity, and add value to any property they are installed on. Therefore they make sound economic sense.

Solar Panels Pricing

The cost of installing solar panels will vary depending on the type of panels chosen and the amount to be installed. However, the initial outlay should always be looked upon as a long term investment, and not just because the installation of solar panels increases a property’s value.

The government has also launched an environmentally friendly policy to incentivise the long term use of renewable energy sources.

The scheme is called the Feed in Tariff, and the basic premise is that the energy companies are legally obliged to make payments to home-owners who regularly use renewable energy sources to generate their own electricity. The government has guaranteed a minimum payment amount for a period of twenty-five years. In addition to this it is important to highlight the fact that the money paid out is tax free, meaning that this is an excellent incentive for anybody who is considering investing in solar panels.

Installation Of Solar Panels

Installing solar panels in a domestic or commercial property is a complicated and potentially dangerous undertaking, and should only be carried out by professional solar panel installers. In the majority of cases the panels will be installed onto roofs where they can attract the most light, and as such great care must be taken. In addition, there is a skill and expertise involved in positioning solar panels correctly in order to maximise their efficiency.

When solar panel installation is being considered it is vitally important to employ the correct people to carry out the work. Consumers are aided in this by the fact that there are certain regulatory bodies that have been set up to ensure that solar panel installations are carried out to an acceptable standard, and that excellent levels of customer care are always evident.

The strict guidelines imposed upon solar panel installers suggests that the future looks bright for solar power. In addition, the continual technological advancements in the sector mean that solar cells are now smaller, less expensive, and more efficient than ever before. Solar panels are becoming extremely adaptable as well as flexible, and are being utilised in a range of appliances as well as on individual houses, commercial and industrial properties. The research and development of solar technology is being driven by a real need to find suitable replacements for the fossil fuels which are currently being used. These finite energy sources are depleting rapidly, and society must take the initiative to act now to find alternatives before they run out completely. A separate, but related, concern is the pollution caused by using these fossil fuels. The arguments for solar power are strong then, in that it is free, clean, and renewable. Solar panels are becoming ever more efficient and affordable, and this, combined with the regulation of the industry, means that increasing numbers of people will begin to see the benefits of solar panel installation.

In what seems to be a step backwards, 6 windfarms in Scotland have been paid up to £600,000 to stop producing energy in April.

In what seems to be a growing problem, the national grid is not always able to cope with the extra power supplied by these northern windfarms.

The national grid spokesman stated that were unable to meet the demand for that amount of energy, and was unable to transfer the energy to England due to a transmission fault in the system. He then went on to state that they had spent over £200 million managing the supply and demand of energy through the National Grid.

Its all well and good raising these alternative energy sources, but these are just token signs if we are unable to support the power generated by them. With increasing petitions in the South West of England to raise more windfarms, is it a good idea if we are potentially losing out with the windfarms in the north?

Wind turbines have already been criticised regarding the efficiency and the effectiveness of the power generation. Claims have been made that the turbines typically produce power at less than 10% efficiency for the majority of the year. This is obviously not ideal, but it seems that we are also encountering problems when they are efficient and do produce lots of energy.

Either a measure needs to be introduced which will help store energy, or distribute energy more easily when it is generated. Or alternative energy sources such as Solar Panels need to be examined as they may be able to give a more consistent stream of energy to the UK.

Edward Norton is really living up to the ‘Green Beast’ he played in the film ‘Hulk’. However this is due to his eco credentials rather than radioactivity.

It seems Ed Norton has been campaigning recently regarding solar power and awareness. As you can see from his video above, Ed is genuinely interested in the eco causes and is willing to help where possible.
Along with campaigning for Eco causes, it seems Ed has also launched his own non-profit organisation called ‘BP Solar Neighbours’.

This scheme allows celebrities to sign up and when they install alternative energy sources such as Solar Panels, the BP Solar Neighbours scheme will match that with a contribution to a donation of solar panels to a low-income family in California. This then helps that family subsidise their electricity bills and stops them from contributing to the energy crisis that is in effect.

For more information on the program then please see the BP Solar Neighbours website.

Mojave Desert Solar Station